


Justice League

by an_affleck



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, DC Cinematic Universe, Justice League (2017), Suicide Squad (2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Movie Trailer Challenge, Post-Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-08 10:38:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7754458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/an_affleck/pseuds/an_affleck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad and Justice League trailers. Bruce begins to look for other meta humans right after he finally opens up to (YN) about being Batman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This was intentionally another Five Word Prompt. BUT *drum roll* I got so carried away writing this that I want this to be the first chapter of a new potentially longer story. I hope you enjoy this and show me some love/let me know if you like the idea! :) I’m thinking about using the trailers of Justice League to build this up as we get more footage. The first trailer can come in handy already. Okay, I will shut up now but seriously I feel like this story could be my new baby and I’m super stoked about sharing this. :’) Title will probably change soon, couldn’t come up with anything better than the original title, eh.

The fallen leaves that had been blown into heaps by the wind soundlessly started to drift across the graveyard.

Bruce watched the bereaved attendees of Clark’s funeral from afar. He didn’t have the heart to join them at the grave of the fallen superhero. He still felt the same guilt and failure he had felt the day Superman had sacrificed himself for mankind and got killed by the creature that Lex Luthor had unleashed.

“The dead shall live.” From where Bruce stood, he could still faintly make out the words of comfort the preacher spoke to the funeral guests. He saw how Martha clung to Lois’ arm, barely keeping her grief and loss under control. She didn’t know then, but Bruce had already paid the funeral director. It was the least he could do for her. And knowing Martha wouldn’t have to worry about the costs later gave him a little comfort himself.

Lois seemed to be fighting her tears, but she managed to keep a straight face throughout the entire funeral service. Bruce admired her for her composure, even if it was just a facade to hide her own misery and heartbreak.

Lost in thought and emotions, Bruce didn’t hear (YN)’s quietly approaching footsteps. Not before she tucked her arm into his did he notice her presence. Surprised by the sudden touch, he looked down at who was holding on to him. “(YN)? What are you doing here? And how did you find out where I was?” Bruce kept his voice low while speaking to his assistant, neither wanting to draw attention nor upset anyone.

(YN) met his gaze and smiled softly. “Alfred,” she whispered before averting her eyes and leaning her head against Bruce’s upper arm, her focus now on the funeral that seemed to be coming to an end. Bruce frowned at the affection (YN) was showing him, but also turned his attention back to the people that slowly started walking away from Clark’s grave.

When the only person left was Lois, (YN) gently tugged on Bruce’s arm, signaling him to leave as well to give her some privacy. With their arms still linked they followed the path that led to the parking lot, the gravel’s coarse sand scrunching underneath their feet.

“Why did you come here?” Bruce asked, breaking their silence. “I hadn’t heard from you. You didn’t call and I was worried. With everything that’s been going on lately,” (YN) explained straightforwardly, “I thought something might have happened to you.”

Bruce stopped in his tracks, causing her to do the same. “You care about me,” he remarked, a small smirk playing on his lips. (YN) groaned and gave him a little push, urging him to start walking again.

She had worked for Bruce at Wayne Enterprises for a couple of months now. He had hired her at the recommendation of a long-term business partner and had not been disappointed. They had gotten along great from day one. He had tried to flirt with (YN) countless times, but she insisted on strictly keeping their relationship business. She liked him, but sleeping with her boss had always been a no-go for her so he had suffered rebuff after rebuff.

“I am concerned about my boss, yes, don’t flatter yourself,” (YN) retorted. Bruce chuckled. “Right. Keep telling yourself that.”

Grey clouds began to overcast the sky. Fortunately, they reached the parking lot before heavy drops of rain could pour down on them.

“Did you drive here?” Bruce asked, searching the cars for (YN)’s. “No, I took the train and a cab from the railway station,” she told him, already heading for his black Aston Martin. Both got inside, but Bruce didn’t start the engine. Instead, he sat there with his hands on the steering wheel, looking torn.

“Bruce, are you okay? Alfred told me you felt responsible for the death of that reporter from the Daily Planet. Is he the reason why you’re here? What happened?” (YN) asked carefully. It wasn’t like him to show his feelings and she was genuinely worried about him as a friend, not her employer.

Bruce smiled at her ruefully. “It’s a long story,” he said with a sigh. (YN) didn’t know he operated as the vigilante Batman in Gotham City. Maybe he could tell her tonight. It was hard to keep that secret to himself. And sometimes Bruce wished he had someone else to talk to about his burden apart from his butler. “Will you keep me company tonight? You can stay at my hotel. I swear I won’t try anything.” He sounded earnest and (YN) found herself nodding before realizing what she was agreeing to. But Bruce was obviously going through something and didn’t want to be alone. “Of course I’ll stay with you,” (YN) reassured him in a gentle voice. His smile grew bigger as he twisted the ignition key to start the vehicle.

The heavy rain they drove through poured down mercilessly and pounded loudly against the car roof. The dark sky looked like it would go on like this for days. Once having arrived in Metropolis, both Bruce and (YN) quickly climbed out of the car. He threw his keys to the valet and took shelter from the downfall inside the hotel lobby where she was already waiting.

After taking the elevator up to the penthouse suite Bruce had rented, they rid themselves off their coats. Puffing, (YN) struggled with her boots and landed on an armchair during her feeble attempt to pull one down her leg and over her heel. Bruce watched her in amusement and trod over to help her.

“Thanks,” (YN) laughed when he had managed to take both boots off effortlessly. Bruce gave her a wink and went to the fireplace to start a fire. “I’m hungry. Are you hungry? We could order some room service?” he suggested over his shoulder while moving the logs around with a poker. (YN) walked up behind him and bent down a little to place her hands on his shoulders. “Sure,” she said, tenderly massaging Bruce’s tensed muscles, eliciting a groan from him. He bowed his head to give (YN) better access and took deep breaths, enjoying the sensation of her fingers kneading his shoulders firmly. Bruce wondered why she was willing to give him a massage. She was clearly neglecting her professional thinking touching him like that. He wouldn’t dare to complain though, but had to comment on it nonetheless. “I’d just like to point out that I’m not the one trying something here.”

(YN) shushed him, but smiled without him seeing it. “You looked drained, is all,” she mumbled. After applying some more pressure to his shoulders with the heel of her hand she straightened her back. “I think that deserves a hot chocolate,” (YN) said, plopping down on the sofa. Laughing, Bruce stood up and reached for the hotel’s telephone. “I agree. With extra whipped cream,” he said with a grin before talking to the employee on the other end of the line.

Sitting fairly close next to each other on the couch, they watched the evening news on the flat screen. Bruce was sipping on a glass of scotch while (YN) was taking sips from the cup of cocoa he had ordered for her. The newscaster finished his current story before looking at the camera without saying anything. He heaved a heavy sigh. “Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to ask you to join us now for a minute of silence in honor of Superman whose funeral has been held this morning in Washington DC.”

Bruce uneasily shifted on his spot while  footage of the silver casket Superman had supposedly been buried in was shown. (YN) noticed his discomfort and put her hand over his leg, just above his knee. Their eyes met and Bruce couldn’t fight the smile that crept onto his face. She had a whipped cream mustache. Bringing his hand up to her face he wiped away the white froth with his thumb. “Oh,” (YN) blushed when she realized what he was doing and ran the back of her own hand over her mouth. “All gone,” Bruce said softly. She returned his smile and snuggled closer to him, draping the blanket she had covered her legs with earlier over his as well. He leaned back to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

“(YN)?”

“Hm?”

“There’s something I need to tell you,” Bruce said and turned off the TV. She craned her neck to look up at him. “Ok,” she answered, but it sounded more like a question. He took the mug from her and placed it on top of the side table next to him. (YN) frowned and sat up. “Is this the part when you tell me you have to let me go?” she asked, worried Bruce was going to fire her because of her unprofessionalism. He chortled and shook his head. “No. This is the part when I tell you that I’m not only the owner of Wayne Enterprises, but also-” he stopped momentarily to brace himself for her reaction. “Batman.”

(YN) stared at him blankly before breaking into a fit of laughter. “Good one! And here I am thinking you’d fire me when you’re actually the one always flirting with me.” Bruce had expected her to gawk at him in disbelief, not laugh. She did gawk at him though when he didn’t show any sign of jesting. “You’re not _really_ being serious, are you? You’re messing with me, right?”

“What reason would I have to lie to you?” he asked in return and began telling her about his life as Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight. (YN) listened carefully, not interrupting him once.

“You didn’t fail him, Bruce. You _saved_ his mother. Heck, the three of you probably saved the entire planet from destruction by defeating that monster!”

Bruce kept quiet, staring at the dying flames of the fire.

“So you’re really Batman, hm?” (YN) said after they had sat there silently for a while. “No wonder you’re always so grumpy in the morning when you have to fight crime all night long.” (YN)’s words made him laugh lightly. “I know I can be quite insufferable sometimes.” (YN) shrugged her shoulders. “Hm. It’s kind of expected from you, being the boss and all, I mean. Besides, I’m not a morning person either, so I can relate. _And_ I know you like me so your moods don’t really affect me.” Bruce arched his eyebrows, sending her his infamous crooked smile.

“Whatever, don’t look at me like that,” (YN) murmured, stooping over his lap to grab the remote control. She switched the television back on and resumed her previous position: huddled against Bruce’s side. He gazed down at her and planted a soft kiss to the top of her head before forcing himself to concentrate on the movie that (YN) had picked for them to watch. 

* * *

Bruce hastily felt the pockets of his dress pants. His phone was ringing and he didn’t want the sound to pull (YN) from her sleep. She had peacefully drifted off on his chest during a commercial break without Bruce noticing at first. The moment he had become aware of her closed eyes, he had turned down the volume of the tv. It would be a shame if (YN) woke up from his annoying ringtone now. By the time he had succeeded in getting to his phone, the call stopped.

Sighing Bruce dialed Alfred’s number. His butler picked up immediately. “Master Wayne, did I wake you?” Alfred asked cheerfully. “No, I’m still up. Why did you call? Do you have new indications of the metahumans' whereabouts?”

“Why are you whispering, sir?” Alfred asked, whispering himself now. Bruce chuckled, the light rumbling of his chest causing (YN) to squirm a little. “(YN)’s here. She’s asleep.”

A gasp could be heard on the other line. “Are you saying you finally managed to get Miss (YN) into your bed, Master Wayne? I must say I’m impressed. I didn’t believe she’d ever give in. Then again, pity usually works on women. Well done, sir. She’s a-” Bruce cleared his throat, cutting his butler off. “She fell asleep on the couch, nothing happened. Now stop rambling and tell me what’s going on.”

“My apologies. I found Arthur Curry.”

Deafening silence.

“Where?” Bruce wanted to know, raking his fingers through (YN)’s hair absently. “I will fill you in when you get here, Master Wayne. I suggest you start on your way right away. You have a long journey ahead of you.”

“Thanks, Alfred. I’ll be there in a few,” Bruce said and listened to his butler’s goodbyes before hanging up.

Cautiously Bruce pushed (YN) off his body to slide off the sofa without waking her up. She contorted her face but seemed to keep on sleeping. He gathered his belongings and tripped over one of her boots in the darkness. Bruce cursed under his breath and slammed his palm against the wall to prevent his fall. (YN) woke with a start.

“Bruce?” Fear was evident in her voice.

“I’m right here, (YN),” Bruce called over, switching on a light. The sudden brightness made her close her eyes. “Where are you going?” (YN) asked, frowning when she saw the bag in his hand. Bruce stuffed his grey sweats into his bag before taking a seat next to her. “I know what this looks like, but I was going to leave you a note. I really have to go, I’m sorry. Remember how I told you that I believe an enemy is coming? I’m looking for warriors. Alfred found someone that might be able to help us. It’s very important that I leave now.” Bruce explained, taking (YN)’s hands in his.

“Promise me you’ll be careful?” This whole superhero situation was new to (YN) and she didn’t know how to feel about him going off, intending to ask strangers to join his alliance. Bruce smiled at her. “I’m Batman, don’t you forget that.” She copied his expression and did something she thought she’d never do. (YN) leaned in and pressed her lips against Bruce’s briefly. He looked surprised when she pulled away. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help, yeah? Anything, just call me, okay?”

Bruce cupped her cheek and closed the space between them with another kiss. “I will,” he promised. “You make sure my company doesn’t decay while I’m gone.” He joked and stood up to head for the door.

“No promises.” (YN) grinned while she watched Bruce put on his shoes and coat. He would soon need a warmer one for where he was going.

“Okay,” Bruce started, “I will see you soon.” (YN)’s face fell slightly. “Don’t worry about me,” he continued, “I’ll be fine.” He pulled the door open and turned around one last time. “Thank you for coming and letting me unwind… I trust you, (YN).”

“You're welcome,” was all she could manage to say.

Bruce nodded. (YN) closed her eyes, not wanting to see him leave. When she opened them again, he was gone.


	2. False Alarm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turns out Bruce won’t be leaving just yet, giving him and (YN) more time to figure things out.

Now that Bruce was gone, (YN) didn’t know what to do with herself in the penthouse suite that somehow appeared even bigger after his abrupt departure. She had turned off the television and grew uneasy with the silence as she looked around the living room area, sitting listlessly on the sofa. The wall clock showed (YN) that it was already past midnight and it made her wish she was back in her bed in her apartment in Gotham. In no way did that mean she regretted coming to the hotel with Bruce. Quite the opposite actually. (YN) simply couldn’t shake the feeling that she wouldn’t see Bruce for a very long time and that thought worried her just as much as it confused her, by then overthinking the previous events.

Being alone, she at least had the time and peace to really assimilate what he had told her in confidence. A lot of his sudden disappearances, that had sometimes lasted for days, started making sense to her in hindsight. (YN) was a little disappointed that he had to go right after he had revealed his secret identity though. She was glad she had woken up, otherwise Bruce would have left her with nothing but a note that wouldn’t have explained anything at all probably. However (YN) didn’t really have an idea of what was going to happen soon. Bruce had only told her that he would go off to track down humans with special abilities. But what kind of special abilities had he meant? And what kind of enemy did he think was coming?

As if it wasn’t enough already to acknowledge the fact that Bruce had turned out to be Batman, now (YN) had to worry about him coming back safely from a journey that could be dangerous for all she knew. She cared about him. (YN) had made that quite clear with her kiss, yet she wondered why she had kissed him in the first place. It had felt like the right thing to do, like it had been expected of her. When a man told her he was going on an adventurous journey, of course she was obliged to kiss him goodbye. It was pretty plausible.

“Right. Keep telling yourself that.” (YN) repeated Bruce’s earlier mocking words, and groaning, she buried her face in one of the many cushions that laid on the sofa and let out a muffled cry of exhaustion. She puffed, blowing away a wisp of hair that had landed on her face and laughed at herself for getting herself into the mess she had always wanted to avoid: Allowing herself to have feelings for Bruce Wayne.

(YN) rose from her spot and made for the bathroom where she went through the drawers of the cabinet, looking for a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste. Her search was unsurprisingly successful–one of the many perks (YN) would come across while staying in Bruce’s penthouse suite. So after brushing her teeth, she walked back into the living room area where she grabbed her purse and aimed for the luxurious bedroom afterwards. When she turned on the lights in there her eyes immediately landed on a black tee shirt that lay on the white bedding. (YN) couldn’t miss it, the contrast turning up so clearly. She toddled over to the inviting looking bed that stood against the wall, opposite the door.

Not being able to keep from smelling the garment, (YN) picked it up and wondered whether Bruce had left it for her to find on purpose. Either way, she stripped down to her panties and slipped into the shirt, enjoying the faint smell of Bruce’s lingering cologne. (YN) then climbed under the sheets and lay back on the fluffy, comfortable pillows. She cuddled up in the soft blankets and turned to lie on her side, her legs bent. Sighing, (YN) reached for the light switch and once engulfed in total darkness, she closed her eyes, hoping she’d doze off soon.

* * *

Bruce had one last stop to make before meeting Alfred at the Batcave. He had to see Lex Luthor in prison. The visit Bruce paid him fueled him with new determination to recruit a team of meta humans to fight the unknown battle lying ahead. It wasn’t easy for him to keep his anger under control while threatening the once red-headed psychopath who was responsible for Clark’s death, but telling him he would soon be transferred to Arkham Asylum was all the satisfaction Bruce needed when he saw the terrified look ok Luthor’s face.

The night Bruce was speeding through was cold. Going back to Gotham only to get his Batsuit and then come back to Metropolis again had cost him time he didn’t really have.

With a couple of switches on the controls, the portal to his superhero hideout opened. The lake revealed the tunnel just in time for Bruce to make it through the water, driving off the ramp that led out of the forest.

Once his vehicle was parked, he rid himself off his heavy armor, put it back into the hidden chamber that could only be accessed with the scan of his hand print, and walked over to the computer equipment Alfred was sitting in front of. “How did it go with Luthor, sir?” the butler asked.

Bruce let out a derisive snort. “Didn’t take it well when I told him that I had him transferred to Arkham. Which is more than he deserves,” he growled. “But I had to take care of him first. For Clark… So what did you find?” Bruce looked at the screen over Alfred’s shoulder.

“Look at this,” Alfred pointed with his finger to the far left corner of the monitor. “This footage was taken in the ocean depths near New Zealand. In the Tonga Trench to be exact, sir.”

“I know. Please don’t tell me that’s what you called me over for, Alfred? Please tell me there’s more. Otherwise I left (YN) in Metropolis for no reason at all.” Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled deeply. Alfred twisted his neck. “Well, it’s a starting point, Master Wayne.”

“No, Alfred, it’s not. What do you want me to do? Go on a 30-hour flight, let a plane take me to the other side of the world and maybe, just maybe, I will run into someone that has heard of this creature? We have no solid evidence that New Zealand will lead us to him. We need to narrow this down. I know you’re concerned. Trust me, I am, too. But going to random places and asking locals won’t do it for us. We don’t have time to wander around. This merman is allegedly the King of the Seven Seas. For all we know? Could be coincidence that he was caught on camera down there.” Bruce let out an unexpected breathy laugh, causing Alfred’s eyes to flash with concern. “Are you all right, sir? What’s so funny?”

“I told (YN) I was leaving. Then she kissed me.”

“And that is amusing… how?”

“She finally- never mind, Alfred. I’m going to bed.” Bruce clapped his butler on the back before heading for the elevator. “Master Wayne?” Bruce stopped and turned around. “I’m sorry. I know… I know that you feel different about miss (YN). I just thought we have to start somewhere.”

“Don’t worry about it, Alfred. I know you meant well.”

* * *

When the alarm went off five hours later, (YN) did not want to get out off bed. She had never gotten any sleep as comfortable as the one she had gotten trapped between the fluffy sheets and blankets. Granted, five hours weren’t all that many, but (YN) never really needed a lot of sleep to make it through the day. She mostly relied on coffee to get her energy kicks. She pulled the curtains to the side and took in the view of Metropolis slowly waking up as well as the sun began to rise, bringing with a crisp autumn morning.

Dressed in the clothes from the day before, (YN) arrived down in the hotel lobby and set out for the front desk. “Good morning,” she greeted the lady working the first shift. “I stayed in the penthouse-” (YN) wasn’t finished when the receptionist started to talk. “Ah, miss (YLN)!” she beamed, “Did you enjoy your stay with us?” Wondering how that woman knew her name, (YN) answered, “Yes, very. Thank you. Any chance you could get me a cab back to Gotham?”

“That’s already been taken care of, ma'am. Your driver is waiting outside. You are a very lucky woman. Have a wonderful day!”

“Uh, thanks,” (YN) said, pondering over her words. “You, too.” She walked through the revolving door and stopped dead. Bruce was leaning against his black Aston Martin, holding two cups of coffee and looking sharp as ever, wearing his black coat over one of his dark grey suits. “Bruce? What are you- I mean- I thought you’d be off to some mysterious place by now.” (YN) sputtered, meeting him at the car. “False Alarm,” Bruce shrugged, pushed himself off the vehicle and offered her one of the hot beverages. (YN) accepted it gladly and when she wrapped her hand around her cup Bruce leaned down to peck her cheek. “So you’re here to take me to work? Like some sort of carpool?” she teased and took a careful sip of her coffee. The milk froth was the best part and (YN) let out a sound of surprise when it entered her mouth.

“I know vanilla is your favorite. I’m more observant than you believe me to be.”

(YN) shook her head slightly and broke into a small smile. “So why are you here and not out there saving the world?” she wanted to know. “Let me tell you on the road,” Bruce answered and opened the passenger door for (YN). She slid into the seat and watched him walk around the car, getting in on the other side.

Before they could actually drive to Wayne Enterprises, they had to stop at (YN)’s apartment so she could change into new clothes. When she opened her purse to fish for her keys the first item she came across was Bruce’s black tee shirt. (YN) had stuffed it in there with the intention to return it to him, but she wasn’t so sure about that now. It was pretty comfortable and did look good on her…

“Ready?” Bruce asked when (YN) was back in the car with him. “You know your boss doesn’t like tardiness,” he said with a smirk. She let it slip as another thought crossed her mind. “We can’t arrive at work together.”

“What? Why?”

“ _Because_ , Bruce, it’s still our workplace. You are still my boss. And people gossip.”

“You mean Grace?”

“Yes. Especially Grace.” (YN) glanced at him. _Would that crooked smile ever leave his face?_

“It’s my company. I can do what I want. And _who_ I want,” Bruce said and sent her a wink. She groaned and rolled her eyes. “Just shut up and drive.”

Working together now that they had established some sort of romantic relationship was harder than (YN) had imagined. At least, Bruce had dropped her off where she had told him to, now all they had to do is be subtle in front of the other employees. However, (YN) caught herself stealing furtive looks in Bruce’s direction more than usual. In fact, she did so whenever the chance presented itself. And (YN) could tell he noticed it, too. But that only meant Bruce was staring at her as well and just as much. She wanted them to be discreet at work–or anywhere in public really–so that her colleagues would still take her seriously. (YN) liked her job and she wasn’t even sure if dating Bruce was worth risking it in the end. Naturally, she started to panic and look for reasons the two of them dating would not work out.

“I don’t want to become one of those girls that falls to your feet just because of the way your lips form that irresistible smile when you look at them with those hazel eyes,” she told him when he had pulled her into his office. “Or because of how that furrow between your brows deepens when you read the newspaper. Or how you take your chin between your fingers, hiding that dimple, when you’re lost in thought…” (YN) trailed off. She realized what she had just said to him, revealing all the little observations she had made during the months she had worked for him, and blushed, averting her eyes. Bruce pursed his lips, trying not give her the look she has just described to him. He cupped her cheek gently, bringing her gaze back to meet his, and leaned in for a kiss.

“So I’m not the only one that’s been a little observant lately.”

“Yeah, well, I- I pay a little closer attention to the people I like than just to their coffee preference.”

“You think that’s all I know about you? It’s not. I’ve been watching you just as closely,” he purred into her ear. (YN) brought her hand up to fold her fingers around his wrist as he was still caressing her cheek. “I see how your tongue slips out to moisten your lips whenever you write ideas down in meetings. And I see how you secretly slip out of your heels under the table because they’re killing you, but you wear them anyway because you love how they look on you. As do I, by the way. I can also tell when you’ve reapplied your lipstick. That’s how often I stare at your lips, (YN). That’s how much you _distract_ me.”

(YN) was speechless. Her mouth was parched and she couldn’t move. Bruce had captivated her with his words. Words any woman would want to hear from Bruce Wayne. She found herself in a daze, amazed by how he had studied her, but needed to snap out of it. (YN) was neither stupid nor blind. She knew that Bruce knew how to sweet-talk and be persuasive. She was aware of how many women had disappeared into this very office with him, coming back out with messy hair and smeared lipstick every single time. Granted, those booty calls had stopped two months after (YN) had become his PA, but had Bruce really changed?

There was only one way to find out. And to be honest, it was (YN) who had instigated their little spark to slowly become a flame with that kiss the night before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for first impressions and leaving kudos. I appreciate it so, so much!


	3. The Wayne Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce is trying to convince (YN) that he's serious about having a relationship with her,

When it came to women, Bruce Wayne had never heard the word _no_. Fortunately, (YN) didn’t tell him  _no_ either, but neither did she say _yes_ when he tangled his fingers in her hair while his other hand reached for the side of her neck as he touched her lips with his passionately to further emphasize the confession he had just made. He started taking slow steps backwards, not breaking their kiss, as he led (YN) over to his desk. When she noticed where Bruce was taking her, she pushed against his chest and slipped away from his touch, stopping them in the middle of his office.

“I’m not going to bend over that nasty table for you if that’s what you’re thinking.” (YN) pointed to the piece of furniture she was referring to. His lips parted slightly and he drew breath to answer, but he couldn’t think of anything to say that would downplay the ugly truth of (YN)’s blunt accusation.

“I don’t want to know how many women you’ve had shameless, dirty sex with on there, and I refuse to become one of them. This is not what I had in mind, Bruce. I need to know that you’re serious about committing to me,” (YN) explained and reached for his dark hair that already featured some grey at the roots, pushing the strands back that had fallen onto his forehead while they had locked lips. She pecked his cheek and turned around, leaving an astonished Bruce behind.

“Wow.” Never before had he had to make an effort to convince a woman to sleep with him. They were usually the ones dragging Bruce over to his desk, eagerly ripping off their clothes in the process as if they were offering their body to him in sacrifice.

But (YN)? She was nothing like them. And he realized he didn’t want her to be. In fact, Bruce was relieved she had just turned him down. This gave him the chance to really prove to her that he was what people called “boyfriend material” these days. He would go out of his way to woo her. He would do it the Bruce Wayne way, of course, but, sooner or later, (YN) wouldn’t be able to resist his clever charm any longer…

Bruce’s first attempt to impress her was by barely letting his affection show at work. She wanted to take things slow, and he would gladly play by her rules. Bruce would catch her eye during meetings more than necessary, but refrained from making their eye contact too obvious. He also kept from trying to steal a kiss from her in the hallway. (YN) would come into his office, she would say, “Good morning, Bruce” he would answer, “Good morning, (YN)” with his usual smirk and they would go over the schedule for the day. It was a given, however, that they couldn’t keep their hands too themselves; but their touches were innocent. He would deliberately brush her hands when she brought him documents to sign and when he would stand behind her to look at a file while she was sitting at her desk he would stand closer to her than he actually had to.

The first blunt move Bruce made didn’t happen until a week and a half after the confessions they had shared in his office.

(YN) looked up from her computer screen upon hearing Grace calling her name. Her colleague was walking toward her with a bouquet of flowers in her hands. “A delivery man left these for you at the front desk,” Grace explained, handing (YN) the bunch of red roses. “Oh?” She inhaled their sweet scent before pulling out the little envelope that had been stuck between the blossoms.

_These reminded me of the lipstick color you’re wearing today. Let me see it up close?_

“So, who are they from?” Grace inquired when she saw the grin on (YN)’s face. (YN) met her colleague’s curious gaze. “It doesn’t say.” Grace let out an exaggerated gasp and clamped a hand over her mouth. “You have a secret admirer?”

“I guess,” (YN) said with a shrug and a modest smile. “Well, what does the card say? Any indications?” Grace wanted to know, reaching for the little note, but (YN) quickly brought it to her chest, protecting it from Grace’s greedy hands. “No. Nothing. Just a sweet, innocent compliment. Sorry, Grace, but I really have to finish the presentation I’m working on. Br- Mr. Wayne needs it by 2 PM.” She prayed Grace hadn’t noticed her slip. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Fine!” Grace screwed up her nose, obviously offended that (YN) didn’t let her read the message herself and stalked away without another word. (YN) rolled her eyes and shook her head, but was glad that she got rid of the rather obnoxious Grace so easily.

Smelling the roses and reading the short message again, she couldn’t wait to see Bruce later. His gesture was thoughtful, yet implied the right amount of flirting…

As Bruce had various appointments with clients that day, (YN) didn’t expect to see him until late in the afternoon.

The elevator opened and she squeezed herself between the people already occupying most of the space. Each floor they stopped at allowed more room as the other employees were reaching their destination. When (YN) thought she was the only one left, she softly hummed the melody of a song that was stuck in her head to herself. Two hands suddenly clasped her waist, and squealing, she turned around, only to find Bruce standing mere inches away from her, his crooked smile gracing his lips.

“You scared me,” (YN) laughed, her heartbeat quickening when she took in his appearance. He wore a light blue dress shirt with the sleeves hitched up and a navy blue vest with matching tie and dress pants. (YN) didn’t have to cast her eyes down to know that his leather shoes finished his look perfectly. She loved seeing Bruce in a suit, no doubt, but leaving off the sport coat always gave him some extra sex appeal–if that was even possible–and always left her goggling.

He placed his hands to where they had been before on her waist and closed the space between their bodies by pulling her to his chest. “I had to see for myself,” Bruce said lowly, their lips almost touching due to their proximity. “Perfect match,” he added.

“Hm?” (YN) was so intoxicated with their bodies pressed together that the content of his words didn’t register.

“Your lipstick shade. It corresponds to the roses,” he elaborated. “Oh. Right,” she said under her breath and subconsciously leaned in, brushing her lips against his. Their kiss was gentle, but didn’t miss the passion they had for each other.

(YN) had her hands flat on his chest, and lightly stood on her tiptoes to meet Bruce’s lips. His mouth opened, but he didn’t use his tongue. He simply wanted to claim more of her mouth and capture her lower lip to pull on it tenderly. They reached the floor to Bruce’s office and broke apart. (YN) was slightly out of breath when she took a step away from him. “Thanks for the flowers.” He nodded. “I’m happy to send you a bouquet every day if it always ends like this.” _There it was again: that signature, hard to resist smirk._ She chuckled, “Wouldn’t you like that.” It wasn’t a question, but Bruce’s answer was a definite _yes_. He watched her walk down the hallway, before disappearing inside of his office. Looking at his desk, another idea occurred to him to further show her his sincerity. All it took for Bruce was to make a few calls and stay until everybody else left Wayne Enterprises, including (YN).

When she entered his office the next morning, she immediately noticed the change in there: He had gotten himself a new desk. She didn’t comment on it, though, nor did she let any sign of acknowledgement show. She simply joined him at his new piece of furniture and discussed his appointments and meetings for the day with him. The night before he had been so sure that (YN) would spot his new desk immediately and he had to bite his tongue not to make a remark about it. She observed his fidgety demeanor and decided he had suffered enough.

(YN) walked around the table and ran a finger along the dark, shiny surface while holding his intent gaze. “I like your new desk,” she husked and stopped right across from him before leaning down ever so slowly with her arms spread to either side of her body. At once, Bruce’s eyes darted to her cleavage that (YN) was presenting to him willingly and provocatively. He gulped and sat up straight. “I got it for you,” he smirked, regaining his usual cocky composure. She copied his expression and slid her arms in front of her body, giving Bruce an even nicer view of her breasts. “I’m pretty sure you got it for _us_ ,” her voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke. He nodded his head, eyes fixed on (YN)’s again. She smiled sweetly and fluttered her lashes while standing up right. “Good,” she said, her tone cheerful, “Gives us more space to sign these,” she added and waved a couple of documents in front of his face. Bruce was amused by her teasing and couldn’t help but chuckle at (YN) while she left his office.

She enjoyed the effort Bruce was making. He was still very much himself–playful and cheeky–which (YN) appreciated. She didn’t want him to change; she wanted their mutual teasing to continue, and (YN) was surprised by the patience he had shown so far. She found herself daydreaming about Bruce a lot, especially after work. And when she received a text from him while lazily lying across her couch, watching TV, she got overly excited to find out what it said.

**Could you come to the office? I know it’s Saturday, but I need your help.**

(YN) was disappointed that his text was work-related, but what did she expect? She had told Bruce that they couldn’t go on dates because people would find out about them, but she had wished he would invite her to his house at least. (YN) wanted to know more about him, and see more of him outside his company. Otherwise, they would never really get to know each other. Or she could simply suck it up and just _tell_ her colleagues they had started seeing each other secretly. (YN) knew that it wasn’t fair of her to ask for his commitment when actually she was the one scared of displaying their feelings for one another in the public eye.

Annoyed by her own thoughts and her drive to make things more complicated than they had to be, (YN) slid into her boots that reached just below her knees, tucked her scarf around her neck and put on her coat. It was getting closer to November and with it the weather colder and colder each passing day.  
  
(YN) took the subway to Wayne Enterprises, like she always did, and arrived there at around 7:30 PM. She frowned when she found Bruce’s office empty and called out his name while closing the door behind her. Guessing he had gone to the bathroom, (YN) crossed the room to take a look at Gotham City by night. The view was breathtaking; the way the buildings were illuminated and the car lights shone from beneath. She absently started undoing the buttons of her warm coat and jumped when she heard Bruce’s voice from behind her.

“Leave it on, we’re going outside.”

(YN) wheeled around to face him. “You need to stop sneaking up on me.”

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said and kissed her cheek as soon as he stood next to (YN). She smiled up at him, having missed the feeling of his lips on her skin. “Hey,” she breathed, followed by Bruce’s echo.

“Shall we?” he asked, gesturing towards the glass door leading to the roof deck. Not grasping what Bruce wanted to do out there, (YN) followed him a little skeptically.

“What is this?” (YN) gasped softly when she stepped outside. Chain of lights decorated the handrail, candles flickered in the cold night air, sheltered from the wind by jars, blankets laid across a white, weatherproof sofa shaped like the letter _U_ and drinks had been placed on top of a small table. And while (YN) and Bruce made their way over to the romantic little spot, her eyes even landed on a chocolate fountain. She guessed Alfred had helped him out a little, but that didn’t matter.

“A date,” Bruce explained while buttoning up the buttons she had already undone.

“A date? You did all of this, because- ”

“Because you said we can’t go out in public. And I respect that, but I want us to take the next step. I enjoy our secrecy, it’s exciting, but I want more, (YN). So, see this as a pre-date. A warm-up, if you will.”

“Bruce, I- I don’t know what to say.” It was true. (YN) was speechless, amazed by Bruce once again.

“You don’t have to say anything. I just- I really wanted to do this for you,” he hesitated, “For us.” Bruce wasn’t sure if it was okay for him to even assume they were an item yet. “It’s beautiful,” (YN) said quietly before meeting Bruce’s eyes. “Thank you.” She leaned in to kiss him. And it was in that moment that (YN) knew with certainty it wouldn’t take much longer until Bruce Wayne would win over her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amanda Waller and Diana will join the story in Chapter 4, so we'll be jumping to Suicide Squad and some Justice League stuff. I'm excited! Are you?
> 
> Thank you for reading, leaving a comment, or even kudos-ing. :) I know it takes seconds, but it's the best appreciation you guys can show me, and (as you know) I'm just a sucker for feedback!


	4. New Leads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date night gets interrupted.

Despite the cool fall air and the wind blowing through the night, (YN) had this warm feeling flooding through her body, sitting between Bruce’s legs on the sofa on the very top of Wayne Enterprises. His arms that were loosely wrapped around her waist shielded her further from the cold, as did the two layers of blankets covering her legs.

“Tell me what it’s like,” (YN) said, leaning forward to dip the strawberry she had picked up with a skewer into the melted chocolate flowing down the fountain. “Being Batman, I mean. Are you out there every night?” She brought the little fruit to her mouth and had to let out a soft moan as the sweet strawberry juice aroused her taste buds. Bruce watched her, a corner of his mouth turning up. “Not every night. But most nights. It’s been alarmingly quiet lately. Too quiet if you ask me." 

"How so?” (YN) asked, jabbing her skewer into a grape next. “That’s a good thing, isn’t it? You made sure Luthor is locked away and you brought down that monster. Maybe crime is on the low because the bad guys are too scared now to come across the Bat after that chilling battle.” She lifted the mini chocolate covered ball to Bruce’s lips. He closed his mouth around the skewer and leaned his head back, pulling the grape off in the process. “They know better than to pick a fight with you,” (YN) added with a sly smile as she watched Bruce chew. Once his mouth was empty, he answered, “I wished you were right. But this is probably just the calm before the storm. I don’t trust the quiet. Something bigger is coming. Way bigger. Which is why I need to find the other meta humans as soon as possible." 

"Hm.” (YN) settled back against Bruce’s chest. “What’s your favorite part about being Batman?” She wanted to know next. He chuckled and tightened his grip around her while resting his chin on top of her head. “You’re awfully curious.” She craned her neck to look up at him. “I want to get to know you… Both of you,” (YN) told him. Bruce’s eyes danced in amusement as he studied her face. “What? Am I not allowed to?” she added. “No, you can ask me anything you want. You just-” He stopped, bringing his hand to her lips to rub off the chocolate in the corner of her mouth with his thumb. Bruce showed her his finger pad before licking off the chocolate. (YN) was reminded of the night he had first told her about his secret identity when he had pointed out her milk mustache to her. “All right, so my favorite part? … That I still get to be me. When I come home after a long night and take off my suit, I’m still Bruce Wayne. I wasn’t born with superhuman powers so I can always return to normality in some way. Whereas those meta humans–well they’re always who they are. I rely on scientific knowledge and athletic prowess. I’m still human, if that makes sense." 

(YN) didn’t expect Bruce to give her such an honest and profound answer. She appreciated how open he was. "It does,” she mumbled and reached for the nape of his neck to pull him down for a kiss. 

“And what do you hate most about being Gotham’s vigilante?” (YN) asked, unable to fight the urge to bombard him with questions. His eyes suddenly left hers and a frown spread over his face, deepening the crease between his brows. “That,” Bruce said with a sigh and pointed to a bright light in the distance. She turned her head away from him, and there it was: The sign Bruce had last seen in the night sky when he had turned on the massive searchlight himself to bait Superman into his trap. 

“I hate to say this, (YN). But I have to go.” He said and (YN) quickly pulled herself up so he could get up from the sofa. “It’s okay. I know what I signed up for when I kissed you a couple of weeks back." 

"Thank you. I understand if it bothers you." 

"Bruce,” (YN) smiled up at him, “Go be a hero.” He nodded and hurried toward the glass door, to his office. Before going inside, he turned around. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.” She laughed lightly, knowing he would, and watched him disappear from view. (YN) sighed and got to her feet. She wished their date didn’t have to end so soon, but like she had told Bruce, she knew she couldn’t have him all to herself. 

After blowing out the candles, (YN) made sure to lock the doors and turn on the alarm system before catching the next subway back home. 

* * *

“What the hell is this?” Bruce asked once he had gotten on top of the building where he usually met with Lieutenant Gordon. He approached the woman standing next to the device responsible for the bat sign shining in the sky. 

“You did not answer your phone." 

"So you’re using that thing to get in touch with me? It’s for emergencies, Diana.” Bruce said, coming to a halt next to her and shutting off the searchlight. “What brings you to Gotham?" 

"You. I came to hear about the progress you’re supposed to be making. Any luck with finding people like me?" 

Bruce heaved a sigh. "It’s not that easy. But I’m working on it." 

"Actually, it is that easy if you know where to dig,” Diana said, pulling a piece of paper out of her bag and handing it to Bruce. “Amanda Waller,” she pointed to the picture he was studying. “What about her?” he demanded, slight confusion discernible in his voice. “She works for the government. Rumor has it she can tell us where to find warriors for your little army.” Diana was obviously not yet convinced of Bruce’s plan. “Go to DC and talk to her.” His eyes darted to hers. “What makes you think she knows anything and even if she did why should she be willing to share that sort of information with me?" 

Diana shrugged and buried her hands in the pockets of her coat. She wasn’t wearing her Amazonian attire. "She’s a woman. You’re a man.” Bruce scoffed. “Thank you for the reminder.” She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. Go and be persuasive. From what it looks like she’s the only lead you have thanks to me.” She was right. He didn’t find anything else since his butler had been so eager to send him to the Tonga Trench. “Fine. I’ll go,” Bruce said, stuffing the picture into a capsule of his utility belt. “Are you coming with me?” he asked. Diana shook her head. “I can’t. I’m needed at home. Call me when you get back,” she instructed and walked towards the staircase without another word. Bruce let out an irritated snort and jumped off the roof, using his grappling hook for support, and landed safely on the ground next to his Batmobile. Since it was only 11 o'clock he decided to go and see (YN) at her apartment. Maybe he was lucky and she was still awake.

(YN) lived on the second floor. Bruce put his grappling gun to work again, this time using it to haul himself up, onto her balcony. He could see (YN) through the curtains of her bedroom window. She was lying under the blankets of her bed, apparently absorbed in a book. Bruce lightly tapped against the glass, but she didn’t look up so he knocked to get her attention. (YN)’s head snapped in the direction of the window and she tensed up, squinting to make out who had managed to climb onto her balcony in the middle of the night. 

“(YN)! It’s me, Bruce." 

But the person didn’t sound like Bruce at all, (YN) thought. The voice was altered, hoarser than his, and almost sounded like it was spoken through some kind of device.

"I’m in my Batsuit!” she heard him call and decided to peek through her curtains but the sight of glowing white eyes staring back at her made (YN) yelp and stumble backwards. The person began to laugh–a laugh she definitely knew who it belonged to so she opened the door, letting in a cool breeze in the process. 

Bruce came to stand in front of her. “Did I scare you?” he asked, grinning under the cowl. (YN) ran her wide eyes up and down his body. So far she had only seen Batman on pictures printed in the newspaper. And those always showed him in action, never posing for a camera. He was huge and downright intimidating. The grey material of the suit clung to his body perfectly, displaying every line of his defined muscles. (YN) gulped and took a careful step in Bruce’s direction, ignoring the cold wind that whirled around her bare legs. “I didn’t expect you to look so…” She searched for the right word, but realized he had already used it. “Scary, yeah." 

Bruce chuckled. "I know. But the suit serves its purpose.” (YN) gave him a small smile. It was so strange seeing him like this, but fascinating at the same time. “It’s nice.” Before she could stop herself she traced her fingers over the black bat emblazoned on his chest. Bruce watched her curiously. “Wait. Is that my- (YN) are you wearing my shirt?” His question seemed to pull (YN) from her trance and she hastily let her arm fall to her side and took a step back. She wore it to bed every night since she had found it in the bedroom of the penthouse suite, but he didn’t need to know that. “Er, yeah, you left it at that hotel in Metropolis and I- I, er- It’s laundry day and I didn’t have anything to wear to bed so I thought I- I thought I could just wear it this once…” she trailed off, a hint of red on her cheeks. Bruce could tell she was lying to him the way she had stammered, but decided against calling her out. “Keep it,” he said, “I dare to say it looks better on you.” (YN) met his gaze and pressed her lips together. “So how did it go?” she asked to change the subject. “Finally got to fight some crime again?" 

"Actually, no, I didn’t. It was just a friend trying to contact me." 

(YN) frowned. So their date got interrupted for no reason. "They couldn’t have called?" 

"I, er-” Now it was Bruce who looked uncomfortable. “I turned off my phone so we wouldn’t be disturbed. But you saw how well that worked out,” he laughed, (YN) joining in. “So you decided to stop by here on your way home?" 

"I didn’t get to kiss you good night,” Bruce said lowly, sending shivers down her spine as he closed the distance between their bodies. “And since we were on a date, abrupt ending or not, I felt like I had to come here and change that.” His mouth was dangerously close to (YN)’s. “May I?” They had already shared a couple of kisses, but the way Bruce spoke to her with his guttural voice while being Batman made her stomach flutter. 

“Please,” (YN) breathed and she instantly felt his lips move against hers gently. His fingers took hold of her waist, bunching up the black fabric of her shirt, and the sensation of his cold gloves on her skin made her press her chest into his. She put her hands around his neck, reveling in the feeling of safety Bruce gave off. 

“We should go on a real date when I get back." 

"Get back from where?” (YN) asked, sliding her hands down his arms. “You didn’t say anything about leaving." 

"Well, that only further proves the effect you have on me.” He smirked. “I meant to tell you that I have to fly to Washington DC. I won’t be at the office the next couple of days, but I’m assuming I’ll be back by Wednesday. You can take some time off as well, if you want. There isn’t much work for you to do when I’m not around." 

(YN) found his suggestion too funny not to laugh. "Why don’t we just send out an email to everyone and let them know we’re dating?” she teased. “You know I’d like that,” Bruce countered softly. “Yeah, I do,” she replied and cupped his right cheek. (YN) still had trouble getting used to the fact that it was actually Bruce under that cowl covering half of his face. She loved how she could still see his dimple beneath his chin though.

“What’s in DC?" 

"A woman that might know where to find the people that I’m looking for." 

"Make sure to bring a scarf. The temperature is supposed to drop." 

Bruce chuckled and leaned in for another kiss. "I will,” he said when he pulled away. “Good night, (YN).” With that he jumped off the handrail. (YN) stepped into the cold just in time to see Bruce speed away.


	5. Old Acquaintances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. J says hello. And Amanda? Well, not so much. She's one tough cookie.

As soon as Bru- _Batman's_ car was out of sight, (YN) took shelter from the cold and went back inside her bedroom. She set to closing the balcony door, but a bright light caught her attention. It was gone as quickly as it had appeared. A shiver went down her spine at the thought of someone stalking her and she yanked the curtains close and climbed back into her bed, under the blankets. She picked up the book she had been reading right before Bruce had knocked on her window and tried to get lost in it once again, but the feeling of his mouth gently moving with hers still lingered on her tingling lips.

Unbeknownst to (YN), she _was_ being watched. And the man who had dared to take a picture of her with flash light right after Batman had left would soon sit in front of none other than the Joker himself to show him the discovery he had just made.

It required some serious confidence to go near the Joker by choice and far more to get his attention than by just calling his name. No wonder he didn't look up at the sound of a shaky "Mr J?" resonating over the loud music playing.

The Joker had his eyes fixated on the focal point of the club in one of Gotham City's worst quarters. _She_ used to dance there, for _him_ , but it would always be the old, pathetic, horny, drunk men that were under her spell every night.

Harley Quinn was his queen, but she was nothing without her king. Unlike the Joker. He called the shots and the people in this club were nothing but his little servants, scared into submission. She was just another accessory among the excessive amount of jewelry and tattoos that already adorned his pale body. Nonetheless, as selfish and self-centered as the Joker was, he knew that a king couldn't rule his kingdom without a queen. It just didn't conform to etiquette. Harley's _puddin_ would make sure to free her from the tower she was being held at and kill the dragon that had taken her from him. And kill him.

"Please, Mr. J," the unsteady voice tried to break through again, but the Joker just raised his hand and waved it around in the air as if he was conducting an orchestra. "I have news on Batman." Hearing that contemptible name fall from the other man's lips, the Joker stilled and turned towards his minion that tried to convince him he wasn't as worthless as the rest of his equals. The Joker slowly lowered his hand to cover his mouth with it. The torn open laugh inked into his skin didn't match his deadly eyes that stared at the terrified spy who began to stutter. "He- he's been- no, I- I've been trying to find him for weeks on end and t-tonight he finally showed up," he told the Joker who tilted his head to the side, not blinking once. "H-here! I have pictures." The man was glad he could look away from the creepy gaze to rifle through his bag and retrieve his camera. Before handing it to the Joker, he switched it on with sweaty palms.

He watched as a real grin started to form on the green haired man's face. It showed his golden teeth and became creepier as it reached his hollow eyes, his dark circles only adding to the angst-inducing expression. "My, oh, my," the Joker clicked his tongue. "She's preeeetty," he drew out, excitement glinting in his orbs. "Isn't she, Tony?"

"My name's Toby," Toby mumbled and gulped heavily when he was met with a lethal glare. "I mean, yeah, she's very pretty." The Joker broke into his breathless laughter, making the hair on the back of Toby's neck stand up "Ah! Ah! Ah! Don't tell my Harley. She'd want to scrape her face off." But something in the tone of his voice told Toby he would actually enjoy seeing that.

"I wouldn't dare!" Toby assured, shaking his head in short and abrupt movements. "Keep an eye on her. If she can lead us to Batman. . . Maybe she can also lead us to the man-" The joker stopped to wave his hand in front of his face, fluttering his fingers. "Behind the mask," he finished in a whisper before throwing his head back. More clipped, humorless laughter escaped his blood-red lips and Toby used the opportunity to stumble to his feet. "Yes, boss," he said before leaving the club as fast as he could.

* * *

Washington was colder than Bruce had anticipated and getting a hold of Amanda Waller was as good as impossible. If there was one thing she knew how to do perfectly it had to be ignoring people she didn't want to interact with. Unfortunately, Bruce Wayne was one of those people. She hadn't deigned to even look at him. Amanda Waller had walked past him like he hadn't called her name several times. When he had tried to follow her inside the building, he had been stopped by security. To say he was annoyed didn't even come close to the frustration he felt.

To pass the time until Amanda's lunch break, Bruce walked around the block, his fingers shoved deep inside the pockets of his coat. He was glad he had wrapped a scarf around his neck and decided to send (YN) a message since she had been the one reminding him to stay warm in the first place.

When her phone vibrated in the top drawer of her desk, (YN) didn't expect to find a photo between her unread text messages, nor did she expect it to be a selfie of Bruce. He had clearly looked at the screen while taking the picture rather than at the camera lens. His hair was wild, his nose had taken on a light shade of red and the angle he had taken the picture from wasn't the most flattering either.

A smile spread across (YN)'s face and she couldn't stop the childish giggle that escaped her lips, earning her a glare from Grace. She swiveled on her chair and rolled her eyes while calling Bruce's number.

"You're supposed to answer with a picture, not call me," was the first thing Bruce said to greet her. "Oh, I'm sorry I must have dialed the wrong number. Is this the selfie expert?" (YN) teased and bit her lip when she heard Bruce chuckle. "How's the hunt going?" His heavy sigh was all she needed to hear. "That bad, huh?"

"Yes, this woman does not want to talk to me. It's frustrating, really."

"Shouldn't you be used to women turning you down by now?" (YN) laughed at her own joke and was granted with another eye-roll by Grace.

"Ha ha, very funny. You kissed me, remember?"

"I do," she admitted and whispered the next part. "And I look forward to doing that again."

"Do you now?" Bruce asked and (YN) could tell from his dark tone that he was smirking.

"Mh-hm. So use your charm to get her to talk to you so you can come back to m- Gotham." He heard what she had almost said, but decided against calling her out on it. "I will. How's work? Are you enjoying getting paid for not doing anything?" (YN) laughed, but didn't want to admit that Bruce was right and that she should have taken him up on his offer to stay home while he was gone. "Maybe. It's quiet. A nice change," she lied.

"Go home, (YN)."

His demanding tone sent an exciting shiver down her spine. "You can't tell me what to do, Mr. Wayne," (YN) challenged quietly.

"Oh, yes, I can. I'm still your boss. And until you spread your legs for me on my desk-" He paused and (YN) gasped softly. "I will continue to order you around. So go home." Bruce had caught on to her intention; she could tell he was being playful. "Yes, _sir_ ," (YN) answered and pressed her thighs together as dirty images flooded her mind. Her answer was rewarded with a low groan and followed by her name falling from his mouth.

"I gotta go, Grace is trying to kill me with her laser eyes," (YN) giggled, eliciting another chuckle from Bruce. "What lipstick are you wearing today?" he wanted to know, taking her by surprise. "You'll see in a second," she replied and hung up. Seconds later Bruce received a message from (YN). She had sent him a close-up of her puckered lips, including a peek at her cleavage.

**You're such a tease.**

**You love it. X**

Bruce grinned to himself and pocketed his phone before entering a coffee shop where he would spend the next hours before giving getting Amanda's attention another try. If only she weren't so stubborn and listened to what he had to say to her.

But, of course, when Bruce approached her a second time, she still didn't acknowledge his presence.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day that Bruce Wayne got turned down by a woman."

He wheeled around, turning to the source of that familiar voice. "Sasha?" He really was out of luck.

"Hey Bruce. Did they run out of women for you to bang in Gotham City?" she mocked with a shrill laugh. He forced a smile at the woman that had once tried to make an honest man out of him. "So you work for the government now?" Bruce asked, ignoring her attempt to get a rise out of him. "I do, but enough of me. What are you doing here? Are you here to get me back?" Sasha batted her eyelashes and it took everything in Bruce not to show her how obnoxious he found her. "I'm here on business, my dear. I need to talk to Miss Waller, but she's making it rather hard for me."

"I can make it hard for you, Brucie." Sasha husked and ran her hand down Bruce's arm.

"I'll pass, thanks."

She frowned. "Come on, for old time's sake. Besides, I can sneak you into a conference with her," Sasha said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"You can? Seriously?"

"Yes. But it's gonna cost you."

Bruce groaned. He would not sleep with her. Those days were long gone. And there was still (YN). He wouldn't do that to her. "I'm listening," he huffed and Sasha immediately beamed at him. "Dinner. Tonight. Take me out, that's all I'm asking."

Bruce bit his tongue, so the words "I'd love to take you out" wouldn't come across as a death threat. "Fine. But I'm not picking you up. Tell me where you want to meet."

"Jeez, Bruce, relax. I'm not trying to throw myself at you. I don't need to be told twice, trust me, once was enough. I just want to catch up with you. Like _friends_ do. So put on a smile and let me text you the address once I've picked a place. Now if you'll excuse me, my boss is waiting."

To Bruce's surprise, Sasha climbed into the same car that Amanda Waller had disappeared into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of a filler (again) to introduce more characters to the story. Thank you for your patience with updates. You know what it's like-life gets in the way. xxxx


	6. Deceitful Hopes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce's trip to the capital ends earlier than expected. Same goes for his almost relationship with (YN).

The closer it got to 7 PM, the more Bruce entertained the thought of standing Sasha up. He was pacing up and down in the sitting area of his hotel room, wondering whether an evening spent with her was worth the slight chance of meeting Amanda Waller. The disapproving look Diana had given Bruce when he had told her that he hadn't made any progress flashed in front of his eyes and he finally concluded that canceling his dinner plans at the very last minute was not an option. Hopefully, all that Sasha wanted was an evening in the spotlight next to him. She loved being the center of attention, probably the reason why they hadn't worked out to begin with. The restaurant she had picked out was well-known and almost always booked out. Bruce was sure she had taken advantage of his fame and had dropped his name on the telephone to make a reservation.

* * *

And while he was in Washington D. C., busy with cursing out Amanda's arrogant and ignorant nature, and blaming her for the unpleasant couple of hours lying ahead, (YN) was preparing dinner herself back home in Gotham City. She had turned up the volume of the television in her living room so that she could listen to the evening news, and because sometimes she couldn't stand the silence that came with living alone. Hearing Bruce's name fall from the lips of the reporter followed by the words "hot date in D. C." (YN) froze and her grip on the kitchen knife loosened and her hand slipped, the blade cutting into her thumb. "Shit," she mumbled quietly and reached for a paper towel, wrapping it tightly around the little cut on her finger before hurrying into the living room to see for herself what the rumors were about. She had never cared much about celebrity gossip, but her biggest doubt turned out to be justified when she saw the footage of Bruce disappearing into a restaurant with a tall brunette in a short, black dress clinging to his arm. That woman seemed all too familiar and (YN) remembered the day Sasha had left Bruce's office with tear-stained cheeks after a lot of yelling between the two of them. She had been the last one of his at-work-affairs.

The realization of Bruce still being exactly who (YN) had thought he would always be, no matter how hard she had hoped for the opposite, hit her and she had to sit down on her sofa to let that disappointment sink in. She should have known. (YN) should have known that he would forever be the womanizer she had encountered on her first day at Wayne Enterprises.

A burnt smell filling her nostrils snapped her from her depressing thoughts and she shot up, dashing back into the kitchen. That (YN) had ruined her food didn't bother her as she grabbed her coat, slipped into her boots and headed outside.

* * *

Sasha's high-pitched laughter drowned the conversations of the other guests and earned her a couple of glares more than only once. Bruce had to strain himself not to roll his eyes at her constantly. She kept trying to play footsies with him under the table, causing him to contemplate sitting cross-legged on his chair just so that she would stop touching him. The longer their shallow conversation went on the more Bruce wondered how he had ever been able to voluntarily spend time with Sasha. She was arrogant, downright full of herself and treated the waiters poorly. He remembered enjoying her company. Why wasn't he fond of her anymore? And then a sudden thought entered Bruce's mind and he almost choked on his wine. He used to be _just like her_. Cocky and smug, and rude to the people he couldn't benefit from. He thought about the one person he would rather have sitting in front of him and as soon as Sasha excused herself to the bathroom he decided to send said person a quick text to give her a quick explanation of his current situation and to tell her how much he missed her. 

* * *

The bar (YN) had ended up in was just two blocks down from her flat. She was turning her shot glass in her hand, trying to bring up the courage to down it. Bruce's name flashing on the screen of her phone was everything she needed to bring the brown liquor to her lips. She shuddered and scrunched her nose in disgust before sliding the empty glass over to the bar tender, wordlessly asking him for a refill. For now, (YN) chose to ignore Bruce's message. She wasn't desperate for more of his lies. Finding out what kind of lie he would tell her and feeling the sting of those empty words could wait.

Soft laughter sounding from her right made her head turn sideways. Her eyes landed on a man sitting two chairs over. He was smiling at (YN) and she couldn't help but notice that he looked absolutely out of place in that rundown, dimly lit, old bar. His lower body was out of sight, but he was wearing a white button-down and a red bow tie with white polka dots. His blond hair was styled up in the front and light stubble was surrounding his mouth and covering his jaw line. "Sorry. I hope you don't feel laughed at," he said and got up to take a seat next to her, "I just thought the face you made while drinking that shot was very cute." (YN) chuckled half-heartedly and ran a hand through her hair. "I'm not much of a drinker," she explained, offered the stranger her hand and told him her name.

"Toby. Nice to meet you."

"You, too," she answered just as her newly filled glass was placed down in front of her. "So, (YN), tell me this: If you're not much of a drinker, what brings you here, to the scabbiest bar of the neighborhood, on a Monday night?" Toby asked and sent her a small grin. "You're not going through a break-up, are you?" Am _I?_ (YN) thought about his question while tracing the rim of her glass with her pointer finger. "Something like that," she finally said and hoped he wouldn't press her for a real explanation. She didn't have one. Her initial plan had been walking around the block to get some air, but somehow she had found herself sitting on one of the creaky bar stools. She felt Toby's eyes still lingering on her. "What are you doing here? You don't look like you belong here either."

"I'll take that as a compliment," he laughed and took a swig of his beer, dodging her question just like she had his when he asked what had happened to her blood-smeared thumb.

* * *

"About that conference," Bruce interrupted Sasha who wouldn't stop talking about how much she missed the old times, "Can you really get me in?" She took a tiny bite of her chicken and chewed it at an unnecessarily slow pace. "Here's the thing, Brucie. I asked Amanda earlier this afternoon, but she said no. She's a busy woman. Too busy if you asked me. What do you want from her anyway? Trust me; she's not your type. But I'm happy to deliver a message." Amusement danced in her eyes as she took in Bruce's angry expression. "What?" he barked, "You already knew she wouldn't meet with me, and yet you've been purposely wasting my time?"

"No one's time has been wasted here, honey. Come on, I know you've missed me. We used to be so good together. You even put on that sexy suit for me." Bruce shook his head incredulously and let out a brief snort just when Sasha's bare foot suddenly connected with his crotch. He pushed his chair back, hurled his cloth napkin onto the table and rose to his feet. "So much about one time's enough, huh? You clearly need a reality check," he said through gritted teeth. "Thanks for nothing. Oh, and FYI, _honey_ , I'm always in a damn suit. Don't flatter yourself." On his way out Bruce paid the bill and got inside a taxi before Sasha could cause a scene in front of the restaurant. "The Four Seasons, please," he told his driver and pushed his hair back, most likely out of more frustration. He could have clearly saved his trip to the capital.

* * *

For some reason, Toby turned out to make for pretty enjoyable company, but when he asked (YN) what she did for a living, her somewhat better mood immediately disappeared. "I'm out of work for-" she slurred and took a look at her phone to check the time, "three hours now. Which reminds me. . .  I should probably go get my stuff." (YN) hopped down from her bar stool and placed a hand on her new friend's shoulder. "Thanks for cheering me up. See ya around." He still didn't obtain the information he wanted from her, so he quickly grasped her wrist. "What; right now?" Toby asked in wonderment. "Have another shot with me!" he whined, but (YN) shook her head. "I already had four and that makes four too many."

She crossed her arms in front of her body as she stepped outside into the cold and hurriedly made her way to the subway station where she took the next subway to Wayne Enterprises. If she took care of removing her personal belongings in the middle of the night, she wouldn't have to face Bruce or anyone else of her colleagues for that matter anytime soon. Maybe (YN) wasn't thinking rationally and jumping to conclusions but she could still regret her decisions later, when she'd wake up.

Much to her surprise, the entire outer security system was turned off when she arrived. The last person to leave the building had clearly not bothered to activate it. Either that, or someone was working late— _really_ late.

After clearing the drawers of her desk, (YN) couldn't stop herself from wanting to take one last look at Bruce's office and take in the view of Gotham City by night one last time. She hurried along the corridor and as soon as she had pushed the door open, she froze in the doorway. She could make out a tall figure in the dark, standing behind the conference table. The person was facing away from her, but she could tell it was a man. Unsure of what to do with the possible trespasser, (YN) just stood there, not making a single sound, and watched him as he pulled something from his pockets. She assumed he had retrieved a phone since a faint light was shed in front of him.

In that exact moment (YN)'s own phone started to ring in her bag and she jumped at the sound and let out a little squeak before realizing that she had made her presence known. The mysterious man, who had looked out at Gotham's skyline when she had entered Bruce's office, wheeled around. "Who's there?" he demanded forcefully, squinting his eyes to identify the other person in the pitch-black room, and (YN) wasn't sure whether she could trust her ears. The alcohol she had consumed probably played tricks on her. Bruce was more than 200 miles away; he couldn't possibly be at Wayne Enterprises.

"I said: _Who_ , _is_ , _there_?"

That was _definitely_ his voice. "It's just me," (YN) said feebly and turned on the lights, meanwhile Bruce said her name, obviously surprised. "Couldn't wait until tomorrow to see me, hm?" He smirked. "But how'd you know I was here?" he asked, coming nearer to where she was still standing. "I didn't," she answered quietly, ignoring his cocky remark that she would have welcomed under different circumstances, and looked down to the floor. "Did you develop some sort of sixth sense while I was gone? You could join my alliance," Bruce laughed and tilted her chin up. His playful expression faded and turned into one of concern when (YN) flinched at his touch. "What's wrong?" He tried searching her eyes but she just wouldn't look at him. "(YN), did something happen? Why did you come to the office in the middle of the night?" He sounded beyond worried.

"To get my things."

"What things?"

" _My_ things," (YN) said more loudly and moved his hand away from her face. She pushed past him to create some space between their bodies.

"I don't understand."

"Old habits are hard to break, aren't they, _Mr. Wayne_ _?_ " (YN) snapped, causing Bruce to furrow his brows. "What are you talking about?" She sighed heavily and brought her hands up to rub her temples. "I know you were with her, Bruce; don't play dumb. I can't believe I _trusted_ you!"

Bruce slowly went towards her. He remained silent for a little while, unsure of what to make of her sudden anger. From her glassy eyes he could see that (YN) had been drinking, but he knew better than to bring it up. Besides, she didn't seem that drunk, just slightly intoxicated. "You didn't read my texts, did you?" He asked with a soft smile, barely pulling the corner of his mouth up. "You obviously didn't read my last one. You've just received it." He added a chuckle, an attempt to lighten the mood. Needless to say, (YN) didn't appreciate the effort. "Why are you doing this?" she whispered and inhaled a shaky breath. "I thought you'd changed. I thought you felt different about me. Gosh, I feel so stupid!" The words practically poured out of her mouth and she didn't care how hurt they had probably sounded.

"(YN), nothing happened with Sasha," Bruce said desperately when he understood her point of view. "I ran into her and she told me she worked for that woman I needed to talk to. She said she'd help me get in touch with her if I took her out for dinner. When she told me she had lied, I left her at that restaurant, and came straight here. My pilot dropped me off at my rooftop heliport just now. Please, you have to believe me." He carefully cupped her cheek. (YN) didn't know whether to believe him or not. Had she misjudged the scene she had seen on the screen of her television, or was Bruce just that good at coming up with excuses? She had already come to terms with quitting and never seeing him again. "Oh please! Stop lying to me and stop using _that woman_ as your damn excuse! You made that whole an-enemy-is-coming-I'm-looking-for-warriors thing up so you could go and see Sasha behind my back. Why would you do that? Because I'm the first woman to tell you no?"

Bruce's mouth fell open. He couldn't fathom her harsh accusation. "No, of course not. You got it all wrong. I'm not lying to you. (YN), please, you are the only woman I want to be with! Do you want to know what got me through that dinner? The thought of taking you out on a real date as soon as I got back here. I only want _you_. Why else would I try so hard?"

"You tell me. How am I supposed to know you actually mean any of that? How do I know you won't lose interest in me the moment I give myself to you, Bruce?"

"You won't know with certainty unless you allow me to prove to you that my intentions are _good_." He softly ran his thumb along her cheek bone. "And how are you going to do that?" (YN) asked, finally meeting his gaze.

"There's only one way I can think of," Bruce said and took her hand, guiding her out of his office, into the elevator, out of the building and into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear, Bruce better make things right.
> 
> As always: thanks for turning that little heart red! 
> 
> Thoughts, emotions, complaints? Feedback appreciated, you know me. :)
> 
> Also: Suicide Squad will happen in the next chapter to get things rolling!


	7. Batman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce provides an insight into his life as Batman.

The freezing rain that had started to pour down was the reason why (YN) didn’t hesitate one second to get inside Bruce's car that he had left at a parking bay just across the street of his building. Once he had pulled onto the street, he turned on the seat heater and (YN) almost immediately stopped shaking from the cold. During the drive she kept her eyes straight ahead, but when his soft chuckle filled the car she automatically turned her head sideways. "What?" she asked, watching the contagious smile playing on his lips. "It's always raining when we're in this car together." (YN) joined his soft laughter, but quickly stopped herself and cleared her throat. She was still trying to figure him out. "So, where are you taking me?"

Bruce glanced her way before focusing back on the road. "To a place I've never shown anyone before," he said and shifted a little. "Could you be anymore vague?" (YN) teased, realizing how easy falling back into old patterns with him was. Bruce seemed to notice that, too, and sent her a quick smirk. "You do have a point. But, trust me; you have to see it with your own eyes to understand its meaning."

 _Trust me._ (YN) repeated his words in her mind until she recognized the road they were on. "I've already been to your place," she reminded Bruce with a frown as they passed the ruins of the old Wayne Manor. "You haven't seen all of it," he answered quietly. "I swear to God, Bruce, if you brought me all the way out here just to show me your bedroom I will-" (YN) started, but Bruce cut her off. "Come on. I'm not like that anymore," he assured her and put his Aston Martin into park in front of his dimly lit mansion entirely made out of glass. He heaved a heavy sigh and turned to look at her. "Just let me explain myself to you, okay?" (YN) nodded and followed him to the front door wordlessly. At least the rain had stopped.

"You have to understand that this isn't easy for me," Bruce began while opening what appeared to be an elevator with the scan of his hand. His home was clearly a one-storied building so the only way they could go was down, (YN) figured as they stepped onto the platform. "No one has ever been down here. That obviously doesn't include Alfred; he knows my secret. But I'm about to break every rule I've ever made." She could make out the sincerity in his voice and eyes, and felt the sudden urge to stop him, but when he put a guiding hand against the small of her back she knew it was too late.

The walk through a short passage with glass walls facing some sort of underground base already allowed (YN) a glimpse of the Batmobile parked beneath them. As soon as they had descended a staircase leading to the lower level, she came to an abrupt halt and took in her surroundings with wide eyes. There was a sharp intake of breath and (YN) noticed it had come from her. "Wow," she uttered in astonishment, unable to think of anything better to say. Bruce chuckled and stepped in front of her. "Let me give you a tour," he said and signaled her to follow him. "This is my hideout. Alfred and I call it the Batcave. I keep my armor, gadgets, anything Batman-related that I can't have anyone find down here," Bruce explained while passing his Batcomputer. "This is where we work on weapons. As you can see I keep my vehicles down here as well."

They entered a chamber and (YN) shuddered at the sight of an old costume held inside of a large display case. She knew it had belonged to Bruce's vigilante partner, Robin, but not many details had ever been revealed about his death. The press had connected his murder to The Joker and the sick yellow words painted across the chest seemed to be evident enough that the green-haired supervillain really was to blame. (YN) was pulled from her thoughts as Bruce gained hidden access to his superhero suit by having his hand print scanned again. "Why are you showing me all of this?" she asked while running her eyes up and down the Batsuit, remembering how Bruce had kissed her just a couple of nights ago, wearing that.

"Because I wouldn't just show this to anyone. And I don't want to keep anything from you. I've never really had a life outside this cave," he answered and waited a moment before going on. "I didn't lie to you."

(YN) nodded faintly and closed her eyes when she felt the familiar touch of his rough palm cupping her cheek ever so gently—Bruce's favorite way of showing affection. "There's one more thing I want you to take a look at."

They made their way to his computer and after starting it with yet another scan of his hand print—go figure—he pulled up three different video files. "Now, I already told you about Diana. But there are three other meta humans I'm trying to find. This footage is the evident that they exist." Once (YN) had seen a video of a young man moving at the speed of light to disarm a thug, a short sequence of a bearded merman with long hair holding a trident, and the disturbing images of what appeared to be a resurrection of another young man, she blurted, "I'm really sorry, Bruce. I had no right to doubt you. I've just been so worried that- that what we have is too good to be true. And when I saw you. . . with her. . . it just seemed like the easiest way out. I shouldn't have- I just- I panicked."

"Does that mean I can kiss you again?"

"What?" A small laugh escaped her lips. "I get it, (YN). I know where you're coming from. My reputation isn't—let's just say—it's not the best. I'm not blaming you for your reaction. If I had called in advance to let you know about my dinner plans none of this would have happened. Maybe it was for the best, because now you know." Bruce seemed so collected and calm; it took her completely by surprise. Then again, maybe it shouldn't. He had just shared his biggest secret with her. "I feel like such a fool," she whined and hid her face behind her hands, but Bruce pulled them down right away. "Don't," he said, his crooked smile playfully mocking her. (YN) groaned. "Just kiss me," she whispered, and he didn't need to be told twice. Their lips collided longingly and she used the collar of his black coat to pull him even closer to her.

"I should take you home; it's getting pretty late," Bruce murmured into her mouth. He didn't mind the time, he simply didn't trust himself. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to unbutton her coat to slide it off her shoulders before working on her remaining clothes. When (YN) pulled away a broad grin spread across her face and she looked over her shoulder before biting her lower lip and wiggling her eyebrows at Bruce. His own eyes darted to the Batmobile and he cocked his head, fighting his smile. He knew exactly what she was bluntly hinting at.

"Can we?" 

"I don’t think that's a good idea."

"Please?"

Bruce sighed, unable to resist the look (YN) was giving him and she knew he had given in and she had won, a corresponding grin spreading across her face. "But I have to change into my suit. I can't risk anyone seeing me inside of that car. I'll be right back," Bruce said and disappeared into the chamber they had been in earlier.

Still smiling triumphantly (YN) made for the vehicle, slowly circling it while running her hand along the smooth, matte surface, admiring its design from up close. "Ready?" Bruce's altered voice made her jump. She wheeled around, her jaw slightly dropping. He came stalking towards her and the sight left her frozen to the spot. The cape flew out behind his enormous form and the way the material of the suit accentuated his muscles and every single vein on his body only further added to his already jacked-up physique.

This wasn't (YN)'s first encounter with Batman, but, nonetheless, she was still just as speechless coming face to face with him for the second time. "Stop drooling," he teased and placed his finger underneath her chin, breaking through her daze. (YN) closed her mouth and swallowed hard. Bruce could even make out a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks as he held the passenger door open for her and helped her get in before taking his usual seat behind the steering wheel.

Once again, (YN) had lost her ability to speak. The interior of the Batmobile was nothing like anything she had ever seen in her entire life. "It's not as complicated as it looks," he commented with a low laugh when he followed her gaze. "Wear this," Bruce instructed, dropping a simple black mask on her lap. "We can't have anyone recognize you either. I don't want you to be associated with Batman."

As soon as (YN) had slid the eye mask on, Bruce started the vehicle. "You might want to buckle up." He smirked and floored the gas pedal, eliciting a yelp from her when her body was pressed into the seat due to the force of the sudden acceleration. They drove through a long tunnel with water running down the walls. The further they advanced the steeper the path got. "There's no turning back now!" Bruce yelled over the loud sounds of the engine and (YN) practically dug her nails into the leather beneath her. They were heading for an opening and only then did she realize they would emerge from the lake behind his glass house. The thought that Bruce had done this countless times was the only reassurance keeping her calm. However, when the Batmobile accelerated in a sudden thrust to make the jump out of the tunnel and into the woods on the old manor's outskirts (YN) closed her eyes.

"You can look," Batman's raspy—and unmistakably amused—voice sounded through the Batmobile and she felt him squeeze her thigh, just above her knee. (YN) let out an embarrassed, breathless laugh of relief, and entwined her fingers with his. The task turned out to be a little difficult because thick gloves were part of the Batsuit. "Can you feel this?" she asked curiously. Unfortunately Bruce's answer was "no," just as she had assumed. "The material of the gloves is too thick." (YN) hummed to acknowledge his answer and looked out the window. Her slight disappointment not going unnoticed, Bruce said, "I'd feel it if you gave my hand a squeeze." So she did just that and their eyes met to share a brief smile.

"How fast are we going?" (YN) wanted to know next, given how far they had made it in such a short span of time. "Too fast," he grinned and brought their hands to his mouth so he could give hers a kiss. "Don't worry; Gotham's speed limits don't apply to this baby." Bruce patted the steering wheel and (YN) rolled her eyes in a light-hearted manner. "Obviously." He chuckled. "Being Batman does have its perks."

"It also has its downs," she noted quietly. "Yeah," Bruce agreed, taking a deep breath. They rest of the drive was spent in silence, both seemingly lost in thought.

When they reached her apartment he opened the door for (YN) to help her out. Since she lived in one of the safer neighborhoods they didn’t have to worry about anyone seeing them. At least that was what the two of them thought as the street appeared to be empty and it gave Bruce an idea. "Can you unlock your balcony door from the outside?" She narrowed her eyes. "Yes. . . why?" A mischievous smirk slid onto his face. "Would you like to know how I got onto your balcony last weekend?" He chuckled at the excitement dancing in (YN)'s eyes. She nodded eagerly and placed her hand in his when he held it out for her to pull her close.

Bruce wrapped his left arm tightly around her waist and with his right hand he produced his grapple gun from his utility belt and fired it. (YN) let out a squeal and locked her arms around his neck as they were hauled up by the hook that had caught hold of the handrail of the balcony above hers. Once she had solid ground beneath her feet she could breathe again. "Thanks for the warning," she laughed and fumbled for her keys. "You're welcome," Bruce answered cockily and kissed her cheek while she unlocked the glass door.

(YN) felt adrenaline coursing through her veins. She was not in the least tired. Bruce tried to read her expression while she stood there, the moon that had broken through the clouds casting its light on her half-covered face, allowing him to see her bright smile. He was completely taken off guard when (YN)'s small hands suddenly reached for either side of his face and pulled him down so that she could kiss him. She tried to have her lips express what her words couldn't. She wanted Bruce to know how much his trust meant to her.

By the time they broke apart they were both out of breath. (YN) blamed her infatuation for the giggle that slipped out of her mouth, and blamed Bruce's piercing eyes for the question she was about to ask him.

"What's underneath that suit, _Batman_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For real though, is he naked underneath his suit? Does he wear boxers at least? The world needs to know!
> 
> I know I said SS was coming, but uhm, I got carried away and needed to make things right between (YN) and Bruce first!
> 
> Also, if this reaches 100 red hearts and gets at least 5 comments, there will be smut in the next chapter. ;)


End file.
